


The Rest Of The Week

by WelcometotheFandDOOM



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chameleon Salt, Chameleon fix-it, Crying, F/M, Lots of Crying, Updating weekly, chloedemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 16:22:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20549120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WelcometotheFandDOOM/pseuds/WelcometotheFandDOOM
Summary: “Are you going to tell everyone?” Marinette froze, and turned to the boy standing next to her.“Course I am! Lila is-““A liar. Yes, I know,” Marinette’s hands dropped. What? “But do you really think exposing her will make things better? If you humiliate her she’ll just be hurt more. Making a bad guy suffer will never turn them into a good guy,” Adrien continued.“Ladybug and I are like two peas in a pod.” Lila smiled.“So we just stand by and let her lie?” Marinette bit her lip. That didn’t seem right.“As long as you and I both know the truth, does it really matter?”Marinette opened her mouth, and paused. She’d tried so hard to convince her friends that Lila was lying. She’d brought proof, and evidence, and made it so clear. But what was it Alya thought? She was being jealous. Nobody believed her, but they were happy to take Lila’s word for it.Her hands clenched, then fell. Maybe Adrien was right. Maybe she should back down. ‘There’s nothing you can do about it anyway.’ Lila’s words echoed back through her head. Marinette’s eyes narrowed.“Yes!”**Updating weekly until it's caught up to Tumblr**





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! It's Amarok here, and thankyou for giving 'The Rest of The Week' a go! Please leave some constructive feedback, I'd love to improve my writing. Also a shout-out to Blue, for helping me through writers block when I have it.

“Are you going to tell everyone?” Marinette froze, and turned to the boy standing next to her.

“Course I am! Lila is-“

“A liar. Yes, I know,” Marinette’s hands dropped. What? “But do you really think exposing her will make things better? If you humiliate her she’ll just be hurt more. Making a bad guy suffer will never turn them into a good guy,” Adrien continued.

“Ladybug and I are like two peas in a pod.” Lila smiled.

“So we just stand by and let her lie?” Marinette bit her lip. That didn’t seem right.

“As long as you and I both know the truth, does it really matter?”

Marinette opened her mouth, and paused. She’d tried so hard to convince her friends that Lila was lying. She’d brought proof, and evidence, and made it so clear. But what was it Alya thought? She was being jealous. Nobody believed her, but they were happy to take Lila’s word for it.

Her hands clenched, then fell. Maybe Adrien was right. Maybe she should back down. ‘There’s nothing you can do about it anyway.’ Lila’s words echoed back through her head. Marinette’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes!”

The force of her words took Adrien by surprise. He quickly turned to her.

“Marinette?”

“Alya posted the interview on her blog! Nino thinks she’s going to help bring her music into the world! If we know she’s lying and just do nothing, then we’re letting her take advantage of them!”

Adrien was silent.

“Maybe you’re right. Confronting her isn’t going to do anything. But I’m Alya’s best friend. I’m not letting Lila take advantage of her.”

-

When the bell rang to end the day, Alya, Nino, and Marinette all hurried out the door. “Alya! Come with me to the bathroom for a moment?” Marinette called. She felt nervous about taking on a group of people, after the class kept on knocking her down. She’d start with her best friend. Besides, more than anyone, she knew she could trust her bestie, right?

“Uh, sure Marinette. Can you wait Nino?” At her boyfriend’s nod, Alya followed Marinette into the bathroom.

The pigtailed girl checked that they were alone, then spun around to face Alya. “Alya, I really need to tell you something,” She said, automatically holding the other girl’s hands.

Alya smirked. “What,” She grinned, leaning in. “Did Adrien say your name while at the back of the classroom?”

Marinette’s face flushed pink. She giggled, and swatted her friend. Alya started laughing too. It was just how things were supposed to be. “No…” The smile slowly fell from Marinette’s face, as she remembered how Adrien was so willing to back down from confrontation.

Alya didn’t seem to notice. “Sure, girl.”

“No, Alya, it’s not Adrien. It’s Lila.”

That shut up the reporter. Her eyes narrowed. “Lila? Marinette-“

“Alya! She’s lying, I have so much proof! Like how on Hero’s Day there was an illusion? Of Ladybug and Chat fighting? Who do we know who makes illusions in their akumatised form? Lila! And Hawkmoth was only returning Akumas to their previous form!”

“Lila wasn’t in Paris at the time!”

Marinette is taken aback by Alya’s raised voice. “Exactly! So she must have been lying.”

“Marinette, you’re being ridiculous-“

“Her right ear had tinnitus, then her left ear?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Her right ear had tinnitus, so she had to sit in the front, then Ladybug brought an earplug for her left ear?”

“You’re just getting mixed up.”

“These aren’t even the big ones! The wrist that she hurt, but then she was able to catch a napkin?”

“She explained that she saw someone lose their eye on a napkin!”

Marinette blinked at her friend. This wasn’t how she expected this to go.

“It. Was. A. Napkin.” Marinette made sharp movements with her hands to underline her point. “And Max was wearing glasses!” Great, now she was almost shouting too.

“It probably happened on reflex.”

“Jagged Stone never had a kitten!”

“He did, before he had a crocodile!”

“No, he didn’t! He said in an interview that he would never have a kitt-“

“ENOUGH MARINETTE!”

Marinette froze, her mouth open. Shock from her best friend basically screaming- well, maybe that was a bit dramatic, but it was loud and they were so close (both physically and as friends) it seemed even louder- made tears leak to her eyes. Alya looked at them and sighed.

“Sorry girl. I just… You’ve been so rude to Lila since day one, and… Well, it’s clear that it’s just because it’s Adrien. She’s been nothing but nice to you, and-“

“Nothing but nice to me?”

Marinette was seething.

“Nothing but nice to me? Alya, she threatened me, today!”

Alya just looked at her like she was a naïve baby.

“Marinette-“

“She said that she’d take away all my friends.” There was no shouting now, just speaking, plain and simple. No emotions, just facts.

“Now you’re the one making things up,” Alya said. She said it simply, as though she didn’t realise that those seven words grabbed Marinette’s soul, tore it up, then let it flutter to the ground.

The tears building up in her blue eyes overflowed, and slipped down her cheeks. Alya’s eyes filled with pity, and she reached her hand out to Marinette, who slapped it away.

“You said that I didn’t think you’d leave your BFF sitting all by herself, did you? Well, actually I did. And maybe you aren’t making me sit alone, but you’re making me stand alone. It’s not even like I’m asking you to ‘just trust me’. I am giving you so much proof as to what I’m saying. You’re just choosing Lila’s lies, over what I’m saying. You are choosing to ignore what I am saying in order to benefit yourself. You are choosing Lila, over me. Your best friend.” Somehow, her voice wasn’t wavering despite the tears. “Well, fine. You choose Lila. But don’t expect me to choose you.”

With that Marinette Dupain-Cheng left Alya standing alone in the bathroom.

-

Alya gripped her phone tightly, then took a deep breath. Marinette was just being ridiculous. She’d get over it.

Those words calmed her. Her negative emotions slowly dissipated.

Nino looked at her as she walked out the bathroom. “Are you okay? Marinette looked really upset just now.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Marinette will be too, she just got a bit jealous.”

Nino seemed unconvinced, so Alya leant in. “It was Adrien.” Understanding washed over his face.

“She’ll be better by tomorrow then,” He said.

“That’s what I said, but she went all ‘I guess we can never be friends’,” Alya laughed. Nino chuckled slightly.

“Wow, really? Over Adrien?”

“Well…” Alya recunted what Marinette had said.

“She really thought Lila was lying about everything?”

“Well, I think she wanted Lila to be lying. You know, to make her less of a threat to Adrien.”

Nino shook his head. “Yeah, I thought that. Geez, I never realised Marinette could be so selfish.”

-

‘You’re our everyday Ladybug.’

‘If you humiliate her you’ll just be hurt more.’

But what about me Adrien? Don’t my feelings matter?

Maybe I don’t want every single one of my friends to betray me?

That made her freeze, right outside the bakery doors. She’d run home, and the wind had dried her tears but her eyes were still red.

Every single friend?

The image of all her classmates turning to glare at her as Lila pulled her ‘I can sit at the back’ sob-story made her heart sting.

Every single friend?

‘You really thought I’d make you sit by yourself?’

Every single friend?

‘Now you’re just making things up.’

Even her best friend?

‘Soon you won’t have any friends left at all’

Lila had achieved her goal. Why should Marinette keep trying? She had fought so hard to prove to her friends, but they hadn’t listened to her. This wasn’t a matter of what was true. This was all down to who they trusted more. And after all this time, she had been discarded like some scrap fabric, for Lila. All the things she had done for them, they forgot as soon as they saw something shiny and new.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flutter of wings. She yelped and threw herself backwards, staring at the black butterfly edging towards her.

She kept it in her sights as she backed around the corner, then down an alley. She didn’t even talk to Tikki, just mumbled ‘Spots on’. When the butterfly rounded the corner, she instantly caught it in her Yoyo.

“That could have been a disaster.” She mumbled to herself. Her finger hovered over her Yoyo, ready to set the butterfly free, but it hesitated.

Her best friends had almost let her be akumatised.

The realisation was shocking. Alya, Nino, Rose, Juleka, Ivan, Mylène, Max, Alix, Nathaniel, Kim, Sabrina. They’d all almost let her be akumatised again.

She spun her Yoyo around her head, and swung up to the top of the building, then continued to the Eiffel tower.

Chat must have seen her swing by, because a few minutes after she made it to the top, her partner joined her.

“Are you patrolling early, M’Lady?”

“Hey Kitty,” Seeing her partner made her smile. Lila couldn’t take away Chat Noir.

Chat must have caught her mood, because he went quiet (for once). He joined her from where she was leaning against a railing, and for a good five minutes, neither of them said anything.

“Are you okay, Ladybug?”

Ladybug turned to Chat and smiled. “I… I’m better, I think,” She admitted. She didn’t want to lie. “It’s just… I nearly got akumatised.”

Chat went stiff next to her. “What?” He breathed. “Why?”

“It was just…” The words ‘nothing really’ died on her lips. No lies. It was a big deal. “Some people who I thought were my friends without the mask on, made me feel…”

She didn’t really know what she should say, and the other hero seemed to get that. He reached out and put a hand on hers. It wasn’t forced, like so many of the Chat’s movements around her felt, and seemed natural. Ladybug finally looked up to his eyes.

“It seems like you need to get some better friends,” He said.

Ladybug paused. Better friends? “I don’t really know many other people… I mean, I know a lot of people, but they all were part of what made me nearly get akumatised.”

“All of them?”

Briefly, Ladybug’s thoughts moved to Luka, but then they went to Chat Noir.

“Not you.”

Surprise flickered in the Chat’s eyes. “No- I didn’t mean me- I meant- I was just surprised-“

“I know Chat.”

“No- I mean, I wasn’t trying to flirt with you. I just thought that you would have so many amazing friends, because you’re the kind of person everyone would like.”

“Yeah, well. I sort of was the middle ground between all the friends. They might have ended up becoming friends without me, but we all became one huge friendship group, so I don’t exactly have a second one to turn to.”

“Well…” There was another moment of silence. “I don’t need you to tell me what happened, but is there any way to explain to them?”

“It was me trying to explain what happened that made them all so mad,” Tears were welling up in her eyes again, and Chat’s heart broke to see the strong hero in front of him reduced to crying. Whoever could do such an awful thing didn’t deserve his Lady.

Without even thinking about it, he wrapped his arms around the bug. She froze for a moment, then hugged him back. They stood there for a minute, just being with each other.

“I’ll never betray you, Ladybug. I promise.”

Ladybug smiled at his words.

When they pulled away, Ladybug pulled out her Yoyo. “I think you’re right Kitty. I need to find myself some new friends. Maybe… I should think about myself.”

She tapped the Yoyo, and the white butterfly broke free. It fluttered out, and hovered by her face for a moment, then flitted away, across the building of Paris. The two watched it go.

Because more than anyone, Ladybug knew she could trust her Chat Noir.

-

“Mum? Dad? I wa- We need to talk,” Marinette put her fork down. Her parents turned to her from their meal.

“What is it?”

“I’d like to change schools.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mum, Dad, I’ve tried so hard. I’ve done what you said, I’ve fought so hard, I’ve tried to be a good person no matter what. But all of that could have been for nothing. I’ve tried so hard to work this out with my class, but… I can’t do this any more. Please. I- I give up. I give up. I give up.”
> 
> The amount Marinette has cried today, you’d think she’d be done. But she can feel the familiar prickling in her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy it!

“Mum? Dad? I wa- We need to talk,” Marinette put her fork down. Her parents turned to her from their meal.

“What is it?”

“I’d like to change schools.”

“What happened?” Sabine asked, worriedly turning to Marinette. “Is it Chloe?”

“N-no, not really,” Actually, now that she thought about it, Chloe had been tolerable recently. Maybe her turn with the Bee miraculous had done her some good.

“Then what’s wrong?” Tom asked.

“I- It’s- I don’t want to blame anyone,” _I don’t want to make things harder for anyone_ she added in her head. “But there’s someone in the class that… I don’t get along with, and-“

“Marinette, you can’t just change school because you don’t get along with someone,” Tom held his daughter’s hand.

“Tom’s right. You are strong enough to work through this, I know you can Marinette.”

“No, you don’t get it. She’s made my life awful, and has convinced everyone- everyone- that I’m some kind of terrible person.”

“Marinette, I think you’re being a bit dramatic. You and Alya-“

“Alya thinks I’m being selfish, Dad. Please.”

Her parents looked nervously at each other.

“Please. I nearly akumatised today.”

_That_ caught their attention.

“Ladybug was there, and caught the akuma before it reached me. Mum, Dad, I’ve tried so hard. I’ve done what you said, I’ve fought so hard, I’ve tried to be a good person no matter what. But all of that could have been for nothing if Ladybug hadn’t been there. I’ve tried so hard to work this out with my class, but… I can’t do this any more. Please. I- I give up. I give up. I give up.”

The amount Marinette has cried today, you’d think she’d be done. But she can feel the familiar prickling in her eyes.

A warmth surrounded her, and she found herself wrapped up in a hug by both her parents. “Shh,” Tom whispered. “It’s alright. It’s alright.”

“I’m not sure we can get you in a new school at such short notice,” Sabine said, tucking some hair behind her daughter’s ear. “But would it work to change classes?”

“And never, ever, say that you gave up,” Tom added. “Because you didn’t, okay? It takes strength to know when you’ve reached your limit. And it sounds like you’ve passed it, okay?”

“You’re so strong, Marinette. It’s not giving up, okay? You do so much for your classmates. I think it’s time you start to think about yourself.”

“And… We’re sorry we didn’t see that you needed this.”

Marinette sniffed. “No, don’t say that. Please, you guys are awesome, I just…”

“Tomorrow, we’ll go to school early and talk to Principal Damocles, okay? Are you sure you can’t tell us the name of the student? We could get him to talk to them-“

“No!” Marinette said, a bit too loudly. Her parents looked concerned. Marinette took a breath. “Please. I just want to get away. Changing classes sounds great, Mum.”

-

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can’t let you change classes on such short notice.”

The words were like a blow to the chest.

“Is there no way?” Tom asked.

“I am sorry, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Mr. Damocles said to Marinette.

Her head hanging low, Marinette left the Principal’s office, her parents on either side of her.

“Dupain-Cheng?” A familiar voice broke her thoughts.

“Ugh. Hey Chloe.”

“What are you doing here this early?” Chloe was wielding a selfie collage, which she quickly rolled up.

Marinette’s parents opened their mouths, but Marinette beat them to it. “I was actually asking to change classes.”

Chloe looked at her in surprise. Marinette had to admit she was surprised too, but the words had just come out.

“And… Could you?”

“No.”

There was a pause, where Chloe glanced at the two adults glaring at her. “W- Was it… Was it me?”

Marinette glanced up at Chloe, surprised at the guilt in her tone. “Wha- No! I just-“

“Lila then?”

Marinette glanced at her parents, who were frowning at her. “Yeah.” She admitted.

Chloe watched for a minute, then nodded. She pushed the collage into Marinette’s arms, then stormed into the office that had just been vacated. The Dupain-Cheng’s glanced at each other, then followed her.

They entered a scene where a grown man was cowering before a blond teenager. Said teenager was waving her phone in his face. “Excuse me? You won’t let Dupain-Cheng change classes?”

“I- Well- Short notice- Time- No reason-“

“I think you’ll find there is a reason!” Chloe lifted up her mobile. “And that reason is that if you don’t let her change, then you will find my Daddy getting involved!”

“Now now- there’s no need-“

Chloe lifted her phone to her ear. Mr Damocles cleared his throat. “Really, I can’t change classes on such short notice.” He glanced at the ringing phone. “But… I could change you for the rest of the week? Just this week, then you go back to your old class. Then no major changes need happen.”

Chloe opened her mouth, hesitated, and glanced at Marinette. The blue-haired girl was staring in shock at what was happening. She jerked her head, waking herself up. “Y-yeah! That- that would be great.”

Chloe smiled, not smirked, smiled, and hung up.

-

Her parents left the school, after hugging their daughter and thanking Chloe, and probably shaking the blondie’s hand a bit too hard.

Chloe wiped her hand awkwardly on her pants.

“Why did you do that?”

Marinette’s question made Chloe pause. She glanced up at her.

“I- Well. Ladybug did actually.”

Marinette stared at her. She was pretty sure she hadn’t said anything about that.

“Not directly,” Chloe clarified. “But, she spoke to me, and she made me realise, well.” Chloe took a breath. “I want to be a better person, Dupain-Cheng. And I’m not very good at it, but I figure- you looked so unhappy in that class recently, so it must be a good thing if it makes you happy, right?”

Marinette stared at her bully, who had just helped her. Who would have thought that after all this time, it would be Chloe who she was talking with, and not Alya? Her life had done such a huge 360 since Lila had returned. She didn’t even know how it had ended up like this.

“Call me Marinette,” She smiled.

-

Marinette’s new class was different.

There were friendship groups that she wasn’t aware of, names she didn’t know. When Ms Mendeliev called out the names, she made sure to pay extra attention to everyone’s name. She was pretty good at remembering names though, so she hoped that would help. A few classmates had been akumatised but not nearly as many as her old class.

Old class. It felt so weird to think, but not having to worry about Lila constantly- even for just the few minutes since she’d entered the classroom this morning- felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Marinette wondered how she’d feel after a week.

When the bell rang to send them off to their next class, Marinette packed up her things. She yelped in surprise as a hand touched her shoulder.

“Woah, sorry! I just wanted to say hi.” Marinette blinked up at the girl. As if noticing the conversation, the rest of the class paused on their way out.

“You’re Nicole, right?” Marinette asked awkwardly to the short girl. She looked surprised.

“Wow, you’re good with names! Yeah, I am.”

“And I’m Jean.”

“Fleur.”

Names were passed around the class. Marinette smiled.

“My name is Marinette. It’s nice to meet you all.”

-

Chloe sat in her seat. In her head, ‘call me Marinette’ was bouncing around and around in circles. What did it mean?

Was it a gesture of friendship? It seemed that way, but why would Dup- Marinette (wow that felt weird) want to be friends with her?

Could it really just be that she had helped her? Was it really that easy? Or maybe it was because she wouldn’t have to deal with her for the week, and she wanted a clear slate?

“Where’s Marinette?”

The name bounced her out of her thoughts. It was Adrien. She turned to him, but he was talking to Nino.

“Uh- she’s probably late.”

“You know Marinette,” Alya laughed, and the trio chucked. “Hey, Lila- Could I have another interview with you for my blog? About your time with Ladybug?”

“Of course! I’d love to-“

“She’s not late,” Chloe interrupted. It even took herself by surprise. The class paused its chat to look at her.

“What?” Alya frowned.

“Dupai- Marinette. She’s not running late, she actually got here early today.”

There were some mumbles going around the class.

“Leave it with your lies, Chloe,” Alya rolled her eyes.

“No- I think I saw her today, now that I think about it,” Mulen spoke up.

A few others admitted to seeing her.

“So where is she?” Alya asked. “What have you done, Chloe?”

“Me? I haven’t-“ Chloe paused. Technically, she did do something.

Alya raised an eyebrow.

“Marinette’s changed classes.”

Shouts broke out.

“What are you talking about?” Alya snapped. Adrien looked hurt.

“Quieten down class!” Ms. Bustier walked in.

“Is it true?” Alya shouted. She was standing up now.

“Is what true?” The teacher looked at her student.

“Has Marinette changed classes?”

The teacher sighed. “Yes, she has- for just the week. Please sit down, Alya.”

Alya ignored her. “Chloe! What have you done?”

“I didn’t make her switch, if that’s what you’re implying,” Chloe rolled her eyes. She hadn’t had she? Or… Maybe Dupain-Cheng was lying? Maybe she just didn’t want to admit to Chloe-

“Oh no, it was me, wasn’t it?” Lila’s sweet voice came from the back of the class. “I’ve been driving Marinette away since I came. Maybe I should just leave…”

The class broke out in murmurs, all of them (and Chloe listened for somebody different, but the closest she got was Alya who stopped talking altogether) comforting Lila.

“Class! Please be quiet!” Ms Bustier called. She seemed tired as she read out the role. When she finished, she sighed and looked up. “Marinette has asked for permission- and been granted permission-“ The teachers glanced and Chloe for a second, which Alya caught, and her eyes narrowed. “To move to the other class for a week. I request that you do not pester her about this, as if she wanted to tell you I think that she would have.”

This statement caused more talking, which the teacher patiently waited out.

-

When the final bell rang, Marinette felt content.

She hadn’t realised how hard each day had been, with Lila hissing behind her, Alya falling for each lie, and her classmates glaring at her even when her back wasn’t turned. Today, she hadn’t counted down the seconds until she could leave, whilst simultaneously dread the ringing of the bell, because that means that Alya will turn around to be with Lila. Today, she felt herself relax.

She packed her things back into her bag, then turned to smile at Nicole, who was waiting for her. “Thank-you,” The pigtailed girl smiled, standing up. Nicole grinned back.

“No problem Marinette!” There was a short pause, then Nicole hesitantly asked;

“If… If you don’t mind me asking, why did you ask to move to our class? Was it because…” A small blush appeared on Nicole’s cheeks. “The other class has had so many akumas?”

_Akumas_…

Marinette took a deep, nervous breath. Nicole eye’s widened. “I’m sorry Marinette! You don’t have to answer! I shouldn’t have pried!”

Marinette put her hand on the other girl’s shoulder. As nice as Nicole was, Marinette had picked up just during that day that she was quite nervous, and really didn’t want to upset anyone.

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want you to feel scared about talking to me Nicole. I just didn’t get along with this gi- person, and I needed a break. Well, I wanted to get away completely, but that wasn’t possible on such short notice. And besides, it’s probably better that it’s only for a week.”

“Why?” Nicole said, then caught herself. “I-If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Of course it’s fine Nicole,” Marinette was careful to say that. Nicole was actually such a sweet girl, and she just needed a bit more confidence! “And, I guess it’s because I don’t want to run away,” Her parent’s words rang in her head. “Well, maybe running away isn’t the right word. But, I think that the constant pressure was getting to me. I just need a moment to figure myself out, without Lilahhhh oops!”

It was too late to figure out that slip up. Nicole blinked, then smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against that girl. Besides, I’m so forgetful I probably won’t remember her!”

“Oh, you’d remember Lila alright,” Marinette mumbled under her breath. They stopped at the bottom of the school steps. “See you tomorrow Nicole!”

“Goodbye Marinette!”

“Marinette!” Marinette jumped at the sound of Alya’s voice. She awkwardly turned around to see the reporter walk up to her. “Why did you change classes?”

Huh, straight to the point. Just like Alya.

Marinette took a deep breath. “Please, Alya, can we talk about this tomorrow?”

Her voice took Alya aback. The once cheery, optimistic girl sounded broken, and beaten. She found herself agreeing to Marinette’s terms, then she caught herself. “But no backing out of it, okay?” Marinette didn’t respond, so Alya sighed and walked away.

“Marinette,” No surprise, now it’s Lila’s voice, coming just as Marinette walked out of earshot of everyone else.

“Lila, what do you want?”

“You think changing classes for a week will stop me? If anything, it will help me, because you won’t be there forcing me to change my words.”

“Mmhm.”

Lila paused, and peered at Marinette. The other girl had a look of indifference on her face, and other people would have thought that’s how she felt. But Lila Rossi was a master of emotions, and how to hide them, which means she can see when they aren’t hidden very well. This means she could see the small pain that her words were causing Marinette. Marinette was trying so hard to hide this hurt. But still, it was there. “Don’t you care?”

“I did. A lot. But I need a break, so I’m getting one.”

Lila clenched her fist, then relaxed them. “And what are your friends going to think, Marinette? When they find out that you’ve abandoned them?” _Abandoned_?

With that word, Marinette gave up the charade. She didn’t mean to, but there was no way she could hide the pain she was feeling then. Lila smirked. Finally.

“Don’t think that just because you aren’t in my class, I’ll forget about you Marinette. By the time you come back, none of your friends will care about you. You know that it’s true. After all, it’s already happening, isn’t it?”

Lila stepped back to observe the impact each of her words had on her. Satisfied, she turned and left.

-

“How was school honey?” Sabine hugged her daughter, and Tom stopped his work to come and see her. They all sat down in the kitchen, and warmth filled Marinette’s heart to see how much they cared about her.

“It was… Pretty good,” Marinette took a piece of fruit, and sat down. She happily told her parents about her class. She hesitated, but mentioned that ‘the girl’ had spoken to her after school, and that Alya wanted to talk tomorrow. Her parents pointed out that it was reasonable, and that if Alya had randomly switched class then Marinette would want to talk too. As to Lila, they wrapped her up in a hug and asked if she wanted them to talk about moving classes permanently to the principal.

“No, please. I think that I actually just need a break. It was so nice in class, and I think I just needed to get away to sort myself out. But, thank-you,” She smiled at her parents. “For caring.”

“You can always come to us, sweetie. I’m sorry you didn’t think that earlier.”

As soon as she got upstairs, Tikki flew out of her bag. “I’m proud of you Marinette!”

Marinette pulled her homework out. “Proud of me?”

“Yes! You could have so easily dodged your parents today, especially after Lila after school, but you spoke to them! It’s not good to keep it all bottled up.”

Marinette smiled. “I guess you’re right. It did feel nice to let it all out. I don’t think I realised how much it was hurting to keep it inside.”

“Well, at least you’re sorting yourself out now. Let’s get started on that science homework!”

-

Marinette woke up not dreading school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning to have Marinette change schools, but I realised *cough* I didn’t want to make lots of new characters *cough* it’s not very true to Marinette’s character to just abandon them so completely like that. It is very in her character to be dramatic, so I had her parents be the voice of reason. I instead made her change classes, and I’m not sure where Chloe came from. I guess I was just sick of how the show was treating her. Anyway, she was so much fun to write, I decided I didn’t want to just leave her at that, so I figured that Marinette could return to the class, because then I get to write her! 
> 
> Expect a lot of Chloe, and a lot a lot of Chloe redemption.
> 
> I have also decided that Chameleon takes place on Monday, completely so that Marinette can have the most time in her different class.
> 
> Thankyou for reading all the way to the bottom, we get so excited every time we see a new note, whether it’s a like, or a reblog! Feel free to leave constructive criticism.
> 
> Also, I fully admit that I just googled some popular French names and chose them randomly.


	3. Chpater 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette woke up not dreading school.

Marinette woke up not dreading school.

-

On the second day in the different class, Alya was waiting at the steps to the school. Her foot was tapping impatiently. When she saw Marinette, she smiled. Thank goodness, she wasn’t late today.

“Hey Marinette!” She waved her hands. When her friend reached her, Alya wrapped her hands around her. “You need to explain girl! Why did you leave?”

_You’re cheerful_. Marinette noted. She looked at her feet. “I thought you’d know, Alya,” She admitted awkwardly. At her words, Alya’s smile shrank.

“Well, I don’t. Tell me Marinette. Why did you ask to move classes?”

Her voice was quite sharp, and it made Marinette shrink in on herself. This girl was her best friend, and she was staring at her with a challenge in her eyes. A part of Marinette wanted to turn and hide, but she took a deep breath. Sure, a part of her wanted to run. Another part wanted to scream, but she wasn’t going to do that either. Marinette exhaled. And told the truth.

“I asked to move classes because I wasn’t feeling happy with how I was treated by my classmates.”

There. It was out. Now to see the reaction.

Shock flitted across Alya’s face, then she narrowed her eyes. “Tell the truth Marinette.”

_What?_

“Come on, we all know that it’s just because you’re jealous of Lila. There’s no point in lying.”

“I- Jealous? I’m not lying! Lil-“ Lila is! Marinette wanted to say. But she knew that that wasn’t going to help matters. A familiar feeling appeared in her eyes, but Marinette tipped her head back, and blinked it away. She was so freaking sick of crying.

“You asked why I left. I’ve told you. You don’t have to be happy about it. But it’s the truth, whether you like it or not.”

“Mari-“

And Marinette just walked away.

She walked to the other side of the steps, then leant against the wall. Her right arm gripped her left elbow. One foot kicked the ground. She breathed.

Once she thought her emotions were dealt with, a slow loneliness broke through the pain of betrayal. Whenever she made it to school on time, she always spoke with Alya and Nino. Now what was she supposed to do?

Nervous, Marinette poked her head over the stairs, to see Alya and Nino talking. Alya turned and glanced at Marinette, who quickly dove back under the cover of the steps.

_She’s probably telling them that I tried to lie and that I’m blaming them and that I’m selfish and that-_

“Dup- Marinette?”

Marinette lifted her head out of her hands, to see Chloe standing in front of her. She began to tell her to buzz off, but then she remembered what Chloe had said yesterday. ‘_I want to be a better person._’ Instead, Marinette hesitantly said; “Oh… Hey Chloe.”

Chloe glanced at her for a moment, then checked either side. Once she was sure that nobody was watching her, she pulled a tissue out of her bag, placed it on the floor, then gently placed her bum on top of it so that she was sitting next to Marinette on the floor. Marinette made sure not to laugh.

“So… How did it go? Yesterday?”

“I- pretty good,” Marinette tried to get over the fact that Chloe was talking to her. Willingly. And no insults had been slung by either of them yet. “Some people are really nice, and helpful. It’s weird though, but nice.”

“Do you do the same classwork as us?”

  
“Yes, I think so.” Marinette surprised herself by how easily they fell into small talk. They discussed science for a bit. Chloe pulled at her sleeve absentmindedly, which Marinette picked up on. Was she nervous?

Marinette placed her hand on Chloe’s sleeve. “Is something wrong?”

“Wrong? No.”

Marinette smiled at Chloe. “It’s fine; I don’t have to tell anyone. And you don’t have to tell me, but you can.”

Chloe looked away, then smiled. “Thanks Marinette. It’s nothing much, I guess. It’s stupid really. Don’t worry.” She peeked at Marinette, who was still watching her. “It’s only that I’m not very good at- nothing! It’s fine. I just find science hard. But it’s nothing.”

Marinette knew Chloe wasn’t very good at science. She and Alya had giggled when the loud-mouthed girl got back her poor marks, after laughing at everyone else’s panicked studying before the test.

“Have you tried studying for it?”

There was a pause. “Yeah,” Chloe admitted, and Marinette had to hide her surprise. “And it helped my grades a little bit, not much. But it was hard, just sitting down in my room and looking at facts and formulas… And…” Chloe bit her lip, then seemed to just spit it out. “Well, everyone thinks I’m a stupid blond anyway, so it doesn’t make much difference. I’d like to get good grades, but nobody else thinks that I can or that I’m anything other than an idiot. So, I just sort of embrace that. It’s easier to be what everyone expects me to be. And I know that that’s no reason to be mean, but I thought that if nobody wants me to be smart, and expects me to just sit around and be pretty, then I might as well be really pretty.”

There was a long pause, then Marinette said quietly, “I may not be the right person to say this, but don’t focus on how they think of you. Be someone you’d look up to, and maybe other people will look up to you. If you really want to ace that test, then you need to work for it.”

“But it’s so hard to study! I don’t know how you do it Marinette.”

“Well, I guess I always did study with friends,” Marinette smiled as she thought about Tikki.

The bell rang, and Marinette stood up. She held out her hand, and helped Chloe to her feet. They walked into the school together. When they had to go to separate classrooms, Chloe stopped her.

“Marinette? C- Could you help me study?”

Marinette blinked, then smiled, maybe a bit cheesily. “Of course! When would you like to meet up?”

“I’m free after school. I’m… basically always free after school.”

“Then we’ll meet after school. In the library?”

Chloe froze, then shook her head. “Where everyone else is? Nuh-uh. You could come to… The Grand Paris Hotel with me? But Sabrina is probably coming too.”

“Really? The Grand Paris Hotel? I’d love to! See you then!”

-

As Marinette walked into the class, Nicole bounced up to her side. They laughed and joked as they sat down. When the role was called, they quietened down, only to continue the moment that they could.

“So, you like designing, right?”

Marinette blushed. “Yeah, I do. How did you know?” Marinette was pretty sure she hadn’t spoken about it.

“You won that competition, of course I know about it!”

_That competition?_ Oh! Marinette’s eyes widened. With the Derby!

“Yeah, I like designing. What kind of hobbies do you have?”

Nicole blushed, and scratched her hair. “I- uh- I like to draw, but I’m not very good at it. Not like you’re good with designing!”

“You’ll have to show me your art sometime! I bet you’re better than you think.”

Nicole turned even more red. “I- Uh- um…”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to!”

Nicole smiled at her feet, then up at Marinette. This new girl- new friend- was so sweet. She couldn’t understand how anyone could be rude enough to her that she changes classes to get away. “No, I’d like to. I could bring in some drawings tomorrow… Would you show me some of your clothes?”

Marinette grinned. “Of course! Though I probably can’t bring them in.”

Nicole considered this as they sat down in their next class.

“Here- take my phone number. You can send me pictures, which are just as good.”

-

To: Mama and Papa 

From: Marinette

Message contains:

Marinette: Chloe asked me to help her study, so I’m going to her place after school. I love you xx

Mama: That’s wonderful sweetie. See you later, and don’t be afraid to call us xx

Papa: Really? Chloe?

Mama: That’s what she said.

Papa: Wow, she really has changed.

-

“You mean I get to go in your limo?” Marinette stared in shock.

Chloe paused. “Uhhh, yeah?”

Marinette’s mouth opened. “Woah…”

She slid into a seat, and Chloe quickly followed. Marinette took the window seat, so Sabrina was squished in the middle. The car was silent as it set off.

The hotel looked so much grander, if that’s possible, when they drove up to it in the limo. She felt very posh as the door was opened for her to get out of the limo, a look she promptly ruined by tripping over her own feet. Chloe laughed, but it didn’t seem mean. Still, she stopped as soon as Marinette looked at her.

“Sorry. That wasn’t nice, was it?”

Marinette stood next to her, and they walked inside. “You can still laugh at me falling over. I know I’m a klutz. It’s when you laugh because I’ve hurt myself or something like that when it’s not very nice.”

In the elevator, there was more silence. “I can’t believe you live here,” Marinette confessed to Chloe. “It’s so posh and fancy.”

“I know!” Sabrina spoke up at last. She looked at Marinette eagerly. “I come here quite often, and I still get taken by surprise every time I walk in!”

“Yeah, well,” Chloe shrugged.

Marinette- well, mostly Ladybug- had been in Chloe’s room before, but still, the size of it took her by surprise. Everything in it looked so rich, as well. Marinette hesitantly took off her shoes. The carpet was so thick under her feet. She gently dropped her bags near the door, and walked over to where Chloe was standing, near her bed. Sabrina followed her, smiling. Marinette’s left hand trailed over one of the sofas- it was so soft, it was unbelievable.

“How do you want to start?” Chloe seemed surprised at the question.

“Uh- we can work near here?” She gestured to a coffee table-like thing. Marinette frowned.

“That’s perfect Chloe! Great choice!”

Marinette frowned. It was quite short, and sitting there for a while was going to get uncomfortable. “Do you have anything a bit…” Marinette gestured with her hands, miming something taller.

Chloe seemed confused, then an idea reached her. She led Marinette outside, to where a tall table that Marinette recognised from Chloe’s ‘interview with Queen Bee and Ladybug’. Marinette’s eyes glanced to the side, where a large light with a bee cut-out on it was turned off. She reached out to touch it, then caught herself. She needed to tell Chloe that it was too dangerous to be Queen Bee at some point, but now would be a bad time.

“Will this work?”

“It’s great, Chloe.”

-

Chloe actually tried to study.

She clearly hadn’t done it very often, because she kept on getting bored and tapping her pencil against her chair, her head, the table, her books. Add onto this that Sabrina was getting a cold, and kept on sneezing, led to productivity dropping. Eventually Marinette suggested thirty minutes of studying and ten minutes of talking. At one point Chloe ordered sushi- and a lot of it. When Marinette pointed out how much there is, Chloe confessed that she had no idea what Marinette wanted, so just got a bit of everything. Then studying was kind of thrown out the window, but it was fine because by that point they had had an hour or two total, which compared to the nothing Chloe was used to, was a lot. All three of them ended up curled on the thick sofa, eating sushi and talking like they’d been friends for ages.

-

“You have all these clothes!” Marinette stared into the massive wardrobe. “And you always wear that?”

Chloe looked down at her yellow and white outfit, and Marinette could have hit herself.

“Not that it’s bad! I- just- you always wear it, and there are so many other outfits you could have!”

Chloe blushed. “I- I didn’t really know what looked best, and then Mum once said that this outfit looked alright, so I’ve kind of stuck with it.”

Marinette briefly thought of Audrey, then felt even worse about dissing Chloe’s clothes.

“It is nice but- oh! So is this top!”

Marinette pulled out a pretty off-the shoulder-top, which went down to the elbow. It was a soft yellow, not the bright colour her jacket is. She dug around for a bit longer, almost forgetting Chloe as she looked at all the different options. She pulled out a light blue skirt, with a bow at the front.

“And you’d look so pretty in this!”

Chloe blushed. “You think?”

“Definitely!”

Marinette’s phone buzzed with a text. She picked it up, but before she could answer it she saw the time. “Oh no, Chloe I have to go! I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

Chloe blinked. “Oh, okay, I’ll let-“

“Don’t worry, I can walk home. Goodbye!” Marinette ran to the door, then ran back to grab her bag and shoes, then ran outside, waving, still barefoot.

Chloe smiled, then turned to look at the outfit on her bed.

-

Marinette neared the bakery, and finally stopped running. Smiling, she opened her phone, and realised it was a message from Nicole.

To: Marinette

From: Unknown number

Message contains:

**Unknown: Hey Marinette, it’s Nicole. See you tomorrow?**

**Marinette: See you tomorrow**

Marinette smiled as she added Nicole to her contacts.

-

On the third day, Marinette slept in.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette Dupain-Cheng was running late.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was running late.

Alya barely even noticed this, because she wasn’t looking for the girl before school today. Something she did notice, was a loud- was that a roar?

She, along with the rest of the class, ran to the window, where a gigantic sphynx- about the size of a small building- could just be seen.

“Everyone! Hurry home! And avoid the akuma!” Miss Bustier called, directing the last statement at Alya, who was already pulling out her phone.

“There’s no way I’m missing this,” Alya smirked to herself.

-

‘I’m late I’m late I’m late’ was running through Marinette’s mind like a song, matching the beat of her feet. For once, she’d been so prepared- All her homework was done early, and she’d gone to sleep at a half-decent time. She’d even set her alarm on her phone this time! Unfortunately, there’s not much use in an alarm ringing if it’s on silent.

‘I’m late I’m late I’m late’

A loud roar made her fall over- it took her by surprise, okay! She sighed and picked up her books, then glanced up at the source of the noise. “Not an akuma!” She wailed, staring at the Sphynx.

Tikki poked her head out of her bag, where she’d gripped on tightly as Marinnette had stumbled. “This one looks annoyed!” She squeaked.

“Not as annoyed as my teachers will be when I have to explain that I was somehow even later, all because I missed my alarm!” Marinnette ducked behind a car. “Spots on!”

-

“Hey, Adrien!” Lila put her hand on the shoulder of the blondie. “While Ladybug is busy with that scary monster, do you want to spend some time together? I definitely need help with history.” She smiled at him.

“Uh, sorry Lila. Maybe another time,” Adrien slid out of her grip and down the hallway. Lila frowned after him. He had been oddly quiet recently.

“You can come with me Lila!” Alya grabbed the other girl’s wrist. “Maybe you could help me get some footage of Ladybug!”

“No- it’s fine-“ Lila began, preparing a new lie in her head.

“You know, because you’re friends! Maybe you’ll know where I can see her!” Alya gushed.

“No no, Ladybug made me promise not to get too close to akumas! She doesn’t want me to get hurt.”

Alya seemed disappointed. “Oh- okay Lila. I’ll let her know you wanted to come though!”

“No- Alya it’s fine-“

But the reporter was gone.

-

“They said that I was far too stupid to ever get a good mark on my test! Well riddle me this, if that’s true why are you the ones without the answer and I’m the one asking the questions!” The Sphinx growled with delight.

“Let me guess,” A certain black-clad hero tapped his chin. “It’s something to do with a magical purple butterfly?”

A purple mask appeared over the sphix’s face. “Chat Noir!” She growled. “Give me your miraculous!”

“What, and just leave you lion around?” Chat smirked, then backflipped out of the way as a beam of light shot out from the ornate headdress. “Come on, that’s not fair. Let’s just fight, cat on cat.”

“Now’s not the time, Kitty!” Ladybug swung around, landing next to her partner.

“You always say that, Bug! When will you realise you’re… Lion?” Despite his cheesy grin, there was worry in his eyes. _Are you okay?_ The look seemed to ask.

Ladybug gave him a quick glare for the pun, then a smile for the eyes, before she threw out her Yoyo, wrapping it around one of the giant paws. The Sphynx let out a cold laugh, then yanked her paw upward, sending the spotted hero over her back.

Chat extended his baton, and joined Ladybug from where she’d landed on top of a building. “Well, that didn’t work,” He smirked.

The Sphynx began shooting at them with its headdress again, so their conversation paused as they began to jump out of the beams. “What’s the plan, M’Lady?” Chat called, from behind his twirling baton.

“I think we need a bit of LUCKY CHARM!” There was a pause, as Ladybug stared at the thing in her hand. “A pillow?”

The sphinx suddenly seemed to get distracted. Ladybug looked up, to where the giant animal had seen-

A large cloud of pigeons. Singular ones had been fluttering around earlier, but now there was a clump of about ten, and the Sphynx had been completely distacted by them.

_Please, please, don’t let Mr. Ramier see this!_ Ladybug thought as she watched the giant creature get completely distracted by the pigeon fluttering above her.

“I guess all cats like birds,” Chat stopped spinning his baton.

“Or hate them,” Ladybug sighed. She frowned at the pillow. There was a green symbol on it, which looked oddly familiar…

“Of course! I know just what to do, Chat. I’ll be back.”

And Ladybug swung to meet Master Fu.

-

The final spot disappeared on her earrings, and Marinette ran into Master Fu’s home. “Master-“ She began, but the man was already sliding the box towards her.

“Marinette, pick an ally you can trust to fight alongside you in this mission. Choose wisely.”

Marinette knew she needed the fox miraculous. Her hand hovered over it, when his words hit her.

Trust.

She always gave the fox miraculous to Alya. And she was sure Alya would give it back. She knew it.

But could she fight alongside her?

Marinette’s hand fell.

“Marinette is something wrong?”

“Yes, Master,” Marinette confessed. “I don’t know whether Rena Rouge is the best person for this.”

“Then don’t choose her?” The master seemed confused.

“We need the fox miraculous.” Marinette sighed. “The Sphynx has a short attention span, and her illusions are perfect for that.”

“Then choose the fox miraculous, but choose a different hero.”

Marinette shook her head. “I shouldn’t let my personal life get in the way of being a hero. I have no reason to not give it to her, other than that I’m not sure I’ll be happy fighting alongside her. It’s more important to get the job done.”

She pulled the necklace out of the box, and let it rest in her palm.

“Marinette, it is vital that you choose the weilder of the Miraculous be someone who you can trust, and who you can fight alongside, whether or not it is always the same person. I do not know how Rena Rouge will react to not being given her usual miraculous, but you must choose someone who is best for the power, not whoever usually has it.”

Marinette took a deep breath, and considered his words. Maybe he was right. If she couldn’t trust Alya enough to bear sharing her class for the rest of the week, then maybe giving her superpowers was a bad idea. She forced herself to put her emotions aside and consider whether she actually felt like Alya would be a good Fox Hero at the moment.

“Yes, Master Fu,” She smiled. “I think I have an idea of who would make a great fox hero.”

-

Chloe tapped her foot on the ground. The huge light was making the clouds show a bee symbol. Usually Sabrina would be taking care of it, but the cold from yesterday had become worse, so she couldn’t even come to school today.

“Come on Ladybug,” Chloe breathed under her breath. She watched the Sphynx – or rather its head, which could be seen above some buildings.

Her phone in her pocket made a cheerful noise. She pulled it out, to see Marinette’s number flash up.

“Marinette?” She answered.

“Chloe, I was running late and have just seen the akuma! Where are you all?”

“W- We were sent home. Why are you calling me?”

“The teacher in my class probably did the same to us. Oh, I hope this means they haven’t taken the role yet!” There was a pause. “If you’re at home, are you sending out that… Bee signal?”

“Yes, of course,” Chloe frowned at the nervousness in Marinette’s voice. “Why?”

“I’m just… This akuma is massive and causing so much destruction. Maybe it’s safer for you to be inside.”

“But what if Ladybug needs me?”

“I’m sure she can find you.”

Chloe stared at the phone. “Don’t you want me to be Queen Bee again?”

“It’s not that Chloe! I just don’t want you to get hurt. Could you go inside? Please?”

Chloe stared at the light. Her fist clenched, as she suddenly realised what she was acting like. It was just like that stupid interview she did for the class! Embarrassment flooded her, and she kicked the light angrily. She slammed the light off.

“Yeah, Marinette. I’m going inside.”

-

Perfect.

Marinette hung up the phone, and walked up to the guard at the door.

“Hello again sir. Chloe has called me and I am going to go and visit her.”

She went to walk in, and the guard frowned at her. “Are you the girl who visited with Sabrina yesterday?”

“Yes, I am,” Marinette hesitated, tapping her fingers impatiently.

“Ah,” The guards expression cleared. “Chloe rarely has new friends over, so I recognised you!”

Wow, poor Chloe. That was almost as bad as the ‘Chloe doesn’t have any friends!’.

He opened the door, and Marinette smiled as she walked inside. She then ran to the elevator. When the doors opened, Tikki flew out of her bag. “Are you sure about this Marinette?”

“Yes, Tikki, I am. I really think Chloe can change. It’s time to give her a second- well, third chance. Spots on!”

-

Chloe sat on her fancy sofa in her fancy room in the pretty clothes Marinette Dupain-Cheng said she’d look nice in. She stared at her hands.

Why was she so **stupid**?

Of course Ladybug wouldn’t come because she shone a light into the sky. Of course. Of course.

She was taken by surprise when there was a knock on the door. She quickly wiped her tears away, and made sure her make-up wasn’t smudged. Maybe it was Sabrina, to help with the stupid stupid stupid light.

She opened the door. “It’s fine, Sabr-“

Ladybug stood there.

Chloe froze, and so was completely taken by surprise when Ladybug grabbed her and pulled her outside. She closed the door, and breathed a sigh of relief. “I don’t think anyone saw me.”

Chloe stared open-mouthed at her hero. “L-L-Ladybug?”

“Hello Chloe.”

“What are you doing here?”

Ladybug smiled. “I need your help.”

“You need Queen Bee?”

Chloe felt hurt when Ladybug shook her head.

“Queen Bee is too dangerous Chloe. Everyone knows your secret identity. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you be her ever again.”

Chloe stared in shock at Ladybug. “But- But I’m trying to be a better person! I’m being nice! Please!”

Ladybug shook her head. “I’m sorry. But I know you’ve been trying, and I’m really happy, Chloe. That’s why…”

Ladybug stretched her arm out. “Chloe, I give you the Miraculous of the Fox. I trust that you will use this Miraculous for good, that you will keep your identity a secret, and that you will return it to me once we have finished fighting this akuma. Can I trust you?”

Chloe couldn’t help the small smile, as she stared in awe and surprise at the box being offered to her. “I’ll miss Pollen, and being Queen Bee… But you can trust me Ladybug. I want to help.”

She opened the box, and watched in awe as the orange light burst from the necklace.

“Hello Chloe!” The kwami said. “My name is Trixx!”

Ladybug smiled. She’d already explained to Trixx that Alya wasn’t going to be there. The kwami had been upset to not be with her usual weilder, but seemed excited at the prospect of meeting someone new.

“To transform, say Let’s Pounce!” Trixx continued.

Chloe nodded, and clipped the necklace around her neck. “Trixx,” She smiled at Ladybug. “Let’s Pounce.”

Trixx spun into the necklace, which divided itself up into five parts. Chloe placed her hand on it, then pointed it up. Black material appeared down her hand, all down her body to her toes, except for her stomach and back which were orange, with a white stomach. The blue skirt she had been wearing, which could be seen over the black, turned orange. Soon the style of it changed too, so it was short at the front and reached the back of Chloe’s knees at the back. She then brought her hands to her eyes, and a mask which faded to black at the edges appeared. Her hands ran through her hair. Short fox ears appeared, and her hair seemed thicker, almost. She flicked her ponytail, and spun on the spot. As she twirled her ponytail lengthened, and faded from blond to orange to black at the end. Just before she struck her pose, she snapped her fingers. Hot pink nails appeared on her fingers.

“So, do I have to pretend to be Rena Rouge?” Chloe said, pulling the flute out from her back. “Because I honestly look nothing like her.”

Ladybug shook her head, laughing at her pink nails- in a nice way. Somehow, they looked alright, if out of place. “No, of course not. You will need to choose a different name though. And make sure that there can be no connection to you and Chloe, or Queen Bee, do you understand?”

“Of course Ladybug!” Chloe seemed to consider for a moment, then she laughed. “Call me Joli Renard!”

They caught the elevator down a few levels, but not too many. Then they ran down the hall, through a few unoccupied rooms, and leaped out a window.

-

“Chat Noir!”

“Yes, My Ladybug?”

“I’ve got help. While this is a fox hero, it’s not Rena Rouge. It will make sense later. I’ll meet you on the roof I last saw you on?”

“Of course. See you in a moment, Bugaboo.”

-

“Lucky Charm!”

“Cataclysm!”

“Illusion!”

Large clouds of birds of various colours appeared around the Sphynx. Ladybug glanced at Joli Renard, who giggled at the fluttering wings. “I might as well go all out!” She smiled at Ladybug, who good- naturedly rolled her eyes.

“Ready you two?” She asked. Chat nodded.

“Whenever you are.” He said.

The Sphynx growled, and started trying to catch the birds. They all seemed to disappear beneath its paws.

“It’s an illusion, Sphynx! Get their Miraculous!”

Just as Hawkmoth spoke, Ladybug pulled the drone- her lucky charm- out of the box. She flew it up to the Sphynx. It snatched it out of the air.

“You’re wrong Hawmoth! Look, I caught one!” Eagerly, the Sphinx peered at drone, completely ignoring Hawkmoth’s rage.

Ladybug dropped the remote, and bent down, lacing her fingers together. Chat ran up, stepped onto her hands with one foot, sending him bouncing up to the Sphynx’s headdress. Joli had already snuck onto the Sphinx’s head, so when he started to fall too soon, Chat (with the none-cataclysm ring) snatched onto Joli Renard’s flute. Joli pulled him up, so he landed with the ring-hand down first, onto the headdress. It cracked, and turned black under his hand. A butterfly broke free, only to be recaptured by Ladybug’s Yoyo.

The Sphynx turned back into a person, and the three began to fall down to earth. Chat Noir stuck his baton into a hole caused by the Sphynx in a building, and gripped onto the victim with one hand and the baton with the other. Joli landed on the ground in a roll. She smiled proudly at Ladybug, who was releasing the now white butterfly.

Joli picked the drone off the floor, and passed it to Ladybug. Chat landed next to them, careful not to hurt the civilian.

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

“Pound it!”

“It was good to see you again My Lady,” Chat grinned cheekily, then paused. “Can I see you tonight?”

“Of course, Kitty,” Ladybug smiled. His ring beeped, and he was gone.

When Ladybug and Joli Renard were hidden behind an alley, Joli murmured “Let’s rest.”

“That was fun, Ladybug,” Chloe said as she gave the fox necklace back. “Thankyou for trusting me.”

“You’re welcome Chloe,” Ladybug smiled. “I hope I’ll see you soon. Keep that identity a secret!”

-

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

Alya heard it, but didn’t film it. She was too busy rewatching one scene.

“Hey Chat Noir.”

“Oh, hello again Ladybug. And here’s that friend. What’s your name?”

“You can call me Joli Renard, Chat Noir.”

Pretty Fox? Pretty Fox?

Alya growled. Why hadn’t Ladybug asked for her? It’s so unfair! She was Rena Rouge! Not some, some-

Alya ran her hands through her hair. Maybe Ladybug just couldn’t find her.

She took a breath.

Yeah. Maybe Ladybug, who had been able to find her every other time, couldn’t find her this time.

No, she was definitely bringing this up to the hero next time she saw her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to see what Joli Renard looks like, Blue drew her. It can be found on our tumblr, f-a-n-d-o-o-m  
Or here:  
https://f-a-n-d-o-o-m.tumblr.com/post/186337987042/the-rest-of-the-week-part-4  
Thankyou for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Marinette, calm down.”
> 
> It was Tikki. Marinette took a breath, and carried on walking. “Tikki, I made a mistake, didn’t I?”
> 
> “No, Marinette.”
> 
> “No, I did. I’m such a terrible person.”

“Goodbye Nicole!”

“Goodbye Marinette! And try to be on time tomorrow!” Nicole seemed to regret saying the joke as soon as it left her lips, but when Marinette laughed, a cheesy grin spread across her face.

“I’ll definitely try!”

As she walked out the school, Marinette noticed Chloe. “Chloe!” She called, bouncing up and down, waving her hand. She ran up.

“You’re wearing the clothes!” She pointed out. Chloe glanced down at herself and blushed.

“Yeah, I thought they were pretty.”

Marinette hugged her. “They look good. I have to go. See you tomorrow!”

“Goodbye Marinette.”

Marinette saw Nino sitting with Alya, rubbing his hand in circles. Guilt started to eat at her, and slowly the childish, cheerful smile fell from her face. _What have I done? Alya loves being Rena Rouge. Oh no, I’ve chosen Chloe over Alya. I’ve done exactly what Lila made Alya do to me. I’m such an idiot. I’m such an idiot. I’m so stupid. I- I have to-_

“Marinette, calm down.”

It was Tikki. Marinette took a breath, and carried on walking. “Tikki, I made a mistake, didn’t I?”

“No, Marinette.”

“No, I did. I’m such a terrible person.”

“Marinette, calm down. Remember what Master Fu said,” Tikki squeaked from her bag.

Marinette glanced at Tikki, then looked away. “I- I need to explain to Alya. I need to explain. I should explain.”

She walked into the bakery, where her parents once again stopped what they were doing to talk to her. She couldn’t help feeling annoyed at it, but stopped herself. She was so lucky that they cared about her.

“Do you want us to talk about moving classes permanently?”

The question made her freeze for a moment. Of course. Tomorrow was her last day in this class.

She smiled nervously at her parents. “No…” She said. “I’ve been so happy in this class, but I really need to go back at some point.”

-

“Hello Chat.”

Chat Noir turned and smiled. “It’s good to see you Ladybug.”

Ladybug sat down on the roof with him. She wouldn’t admit it, but she wasn’t sure how she felt that he hadn’t gone all over the top like he did that night when they ended up fighting Glaciator.

There was companionable silence.

“Chat… Do you think I made a mistake, by not giving the Fox Miraculous to Rena?”

Chat was quiet. “Why didn’t you?”

“I… Rena Rouge’s civilian form… I caught- not caught- I heard that she’d done something. Something… Not that nice. And… I couldn’t help but feel like it might impact the way I acted around her, and how well we would be able to fight.”

Ladybug wished that her suit wasn’t so skin-tight, so that she could have something to fiddle with.

Chat took a deep breath. “Well, did you do it from a purely logical point of view? Or did you not want to fight alongside her because you didn’t want to?”

Ladybug tipped her head back. She watched the stars. “I think I didn’t want to. But, I also forced myself to think about it logically. And both times I reached the conclusion that I was unsure about giving her the Miraculous. But… Is that fair? Shouldn’t she get a chance to redeem herself?”

Chat reached out with his hand. It hesitated at her shoulder, then moved down and rested on her hand.

“A Miraculous is powerful. It’s not something to be given to anyone, on the chance they may be proven good.”

Ladybug opened her mouth to ask whether Chat would have given Chloe the Bee Miraculous on that day, when he got caught by Malediktator, if he was in her place. But he wasn’t finished.

“But on top of that, Ladybug, I trust you.”

She stared at him, with confused eyes.

“Ladybug, I don’t think you realise how… Great you are.” Chat blushed under his mask, and looked away. “There’s a reason I fell in love with you, and why I fall more and more in love with you each day. It’s because you’re great.”

“I’m not though. I keep on making mistakes, and recently I keep on feeling like I’m going to break,” Ladybug wasn’t sure why she was arguing Chat’s point.

“I don’t mean that you’re perfect, though you are to me. I mean, who you are, who you really are, is great. You’re kind, and thoughtful, and fair, and confidant, and selfless, and the list goes on. And… I trust you, Bugaboo.”

“Don’t call me Bugaboo,” Ladybug said, but she was smiling.

“If you really don’t want me to, I won’t. Ladybug, seeing you cry the other day was heartbreaking for me. But in that akuma battle you actually seemed happy, whoever Joli Renard is. I think you just need to trust yourself.”

Ladybug paused, and stared out at the city. Paris was so beautiful at night.

“I just feel so… Unsure, now. I was so confident that what I was doing was right, but then my friends turned against me for it. I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing any more. I… I just keep on doubting myself.”

Chat lifted up her hand, and laced his fingers through hers. He held them up near his face, and looked at her.

“I trust you Ladybug. And I know that, even if you make mistakes, you’re a good person.”

Ladybug stared at his hand laced in hers. It felt so right, so natural.

Adrien.

The name, suddenly flashing into her thoughts made her jerk away. She stood up, spinning her Yoyo nervously.

“My Lady?”

She barely heard him.

She hadn’t even thought about Adrien in days! What kind of a crush could she have on him if the moment she switches classes she forgets about him?

“My Lady, what’s wrong?”

She turned to Chat, feeling desperate to get away. “I- I just- I-“

He stood up too, and reached for her hand, hoping to give her comfort. He felt a bit hurt when she jerked away, and wrapped her arms protectively around herself. “What’s wrong?” He repeated.

“It- It’s that boy-“

“The guy that you like?” Of course. Chat Noir could have smacked himself. He’d completely forgotten the mysterious guy.

Ladybug seemed to freeze. “I- I do like him! It’s just…” She sat down again, and buried her face in her hands. “I haven’t been thinking about him! And isn’t that… Isn’t that awful, Chat?”

“No, it’s not awful.”

“But it is, isn’t it! Be- because he was-“

“Was he one of those friends?” Chat seemed to have only just had the thought cross his mind.

“No! I mean…”

Adrien hadn’t been mean to her.

_‘If you humiliate her she’ll just be hurt more.’_

_‘But what about me Adrien? Don’t my feelings matter?’_

Adrien hadn’t been mean to her.

But had he been nice?

He didn’t seem to care about what was happening, other than that she was going to confront Lila. And he knew all along, but never bothered to back her up? Never bothered to stand by her? Made her stand all alone?

She clenched her fist. No, Adrien wasn’t mean. He was kind, and sweet, and perfect.

Except maybe not perfect.

He didn’t want to hurt her. She knew that. But he did. And she hated that his innocence, something she’d never seen as a flaw, had made her so hurt she’d almost been akumatised.

“Ladybug?”

“I’m not sure I like him anymore.”

Chat stared at her in shock.

“You don’t like him?”

“I do like him! I think. But, I’m not sure… I’m not sure I’m in love with him.”

“I thought you said he wasn’t one of the friends?”

Ladybug groaned, and ran her hands through her hair. “He wasn’t! And he was really nice. At least he tried to be, but he… It came out badly. He told me that I shouldn’t try, because then I’d end up being hurt, but I didn’t listen, and you know what happened.”

Chat frowned.

“But the way he said it, it seemed like he didn’t care about me, only her. And…”

“And what?”

“He meant well, but it came out wrong. It all ended badly.”

“Ladybug…” Chat’s voice was quiet, and he didn’t look at his partner. “What was his name?”

_We can’t say that! What if it reveals our identity?_

But Chat didn’t ask for much. He’d been so much… Softer, since the day she’d broken down near him.

Who did she trust more than Chat Noir?

“Adrien Agreste.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short, sorry! The next one is too, but it seemed like the best place to end it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien Agreste.
> 
> Adrien Agreste.
> 
> Of course.
> 
> Everything was so clear in Chat’s mind. Of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, this is suuuuuper short, and I'm sorry about that! I hope you enjoy it anyway :P

Adrien Agreste.

Adrien Agreste.

Of course.

Everything was so clear in Chat’s mind. Of course.

Ladybug was Marinette.

And Chat just wanted to- well, he didn’t know. He wanted to talk to Marinette, to Ladybug, he wanted to hit himself, he wanted to hide in his room and never come out, he wanted to reveal his identity and apologise.

“Plagg, claws in.”

He tried to image Ladybug’s reaction.

Sighing, he opened his eyes, to his room. Plagg soared out of his ring, and began cackling. “Well well well, isn’t this an interesting development!”

“Ladybug is Marinette.”

This wasn’t what the kwami was expecting. He froze in the air. “Uhhhh… What? Who?”

“You know who she is Plagg. She’s Ladybug.”

Plagg seemed to look confused- about as confused as a floating black mouth could look. Eventually, he seemed to come to the conclusion that this wasn’t his fault, and flew to his cheese cabinet to gorge himself. Adrien flopped down on his bed.

If he’d figured this out even a week earlier, he would be lying down with a goofy smile on his face. Maybe he’d giggle as he considered this weird love square they’d found themselves in. Mostly he’d just smile, though. Just happy to have his friend and his partner one and the same.

As it was, he absolutely did not smile.

He should have known! Not about Ladybug’s identity, but maybe that too, but also that telling Marinette to back down was so wrong, and stupid.

Plagg settled down next to him, and Adrien barely blocked his nose at the smell.

“Well, at least now you can try to impress ladybug with and without the mask,” The kwami said, sniffing the cheese.

Adrien sat up, disturbing his covers. Plagg held his cheese protectively.

“I’m not using this like that Plagg. If Ladybug falls in love with me, I don’t what it to be her falling for Chat because Adrien let her down.”

“Adrien did let her down. Chat was there for her,” Plagg stated the obvious.

“Well, I need to fix that.”

Plagg threw the last of the cheese in his mouth. “An’ how’re you plannin’ to do tha’?” He spoke before swallowing.

“I guess I’ll start by apologising.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, like I said, really short...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Marinette,” Adrien walked into the empty locker room. Marinette had been with her friend whose name he didn’t know, then she’d realised she had left something in her locker and so had hurried there.
> 
> At her name, Marinette yelped and slammed her locker. “Adrien! Hey! Hi! Hello! Greetings!”
> 
> For the first time, Adrien realised Marinette’s stutter wasn’t just a Marinette thing- it was because of him. It was so obvious, now that he knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a while to come out!

“Marinette,” Adrien walked into the empty locker room. Marinette had been with her friend whose name he didn’t know, then she’d realised she had left something in her locker and so had hurried there.

At her name, Marinette yelped and slammed her locker. “Adrien! Hey! Hi! Hello! Greetings!”

For the first time, Adrien realised Marinette’s stutter wasn’t just a Marinette thing- it was because of him. It was so obvious, now that he knew.

“I wanted to apologise,” Adrien looked nervously down at his hands. “F- For what I said about Lila. I shouldn’t have told you to just leave it.”

Marinette stared at him. Her eyes were so pretty, such a perfect shade of blue. Adrien found himself getting lost in them, so lost that when Marinette spoke it took him a moment to realise.

“That?” It wasn’t Marinette usual cheerful voice. Her eyes flicked to the floor. Adrien frowned. What was he doing wrong? “Oh. Yeah, okay. Don’t worry about it.” And she turned and walked away.

Plagg soared out of his jacket. “See! Easy peasy super cheesy. When are you going to tell her that you know she’s Ladybug?”

Adrien stared at the place where Marinette stood moments ago. “She didn’t forgive me?”

Plagg rolled his eyes. “Did you hear her? She said it was fine.”

“I know Plagg,” The bell rang loudly. “But she didn’t forgive me. I could tell.”

“Kid, you’re being hard on yourself. She said don’t worry about it.”

Adrien groaned. “I know she said that! But I could tell she didn’t forgive me, I just don’t know why she didn’t.”

Plagg yawned. “It sounds confusing. I don’t see why you don’t just leave Marinette and focus on Ladybug. After all, she doesn’t know who you are, so you could still get her to fall for Chat Noir.”

“Plagg,” Adrien sighed. “I want to be worthy of her. I can’t just leave it like this when I know Marinette- my Ladybug- is upset.”

A group of people walked past him on their way to class, and Plagg ducked back inside Adrien’s shirt.

-

His head down, Adrien walked into class and sat down in his seat. Moments later, Lila strutted in. She slid in next to him, and Adrien had to stop himself from sliding away.

“Adrien, hello!” She purred, and leant forward. “It’s great to see you again!”

Adrien grimaced in her general direction.

Lila frowned, then opened her mouth again, but she was interrupted. “Oh- hey Lila,” It was Nino, who was glancing at where Lila was in his usual seat.

“Oh- Nino! I’m so sorry about sitting in your seat, it’s just…” Lila took a dramatic breath. “This may be my last day before Marinette comes back, and well, since she’d been so rude to me, I wanted to spend it with my friends.”

Adrien grit his teeth. For the past couple of days Lila had been spinning her lies, making it seem like Marinette had been the one bullying her, and Adrien had watched all of his friends fall for her lies. He wasn’t sure Marinette had noticed, as all that they had done was avoid her. Still, it annoyed him.

“Hey, no sweat Lila. I was going to sit with Alya anyway, if that’s alright bro?” He directed the last question to Adrien, who nodded tiredly.

Lila was able to stay silent for a little while while, but after a few minutes, she tapped Adrien’s shoulder. He ignored her, which didn’t work because the next thing he knew he was being slid a note.

_Hey Adrien, it’s so hard to understand all this history stuff isn’t it?_

There were hearts drawn on it.

Adrien ignored it, but then sighed and scribbled a quick:

_It’s easier if you pay attention._

There, he thought. Polite enough to not be used against him but also not implying that they should carry on writing.

Clearly he was wrong though, because moments later he received another note.

_Oh, it is but I can’t stop thinking about… Well, how Marinette is coming back soon. It’s making me so nervous I can barely concentrate._

Adrien got out his pencil again, and pushed it into the paper. Forget being polite. He was going to defend his Ladybug- he was going to defend Marinette. It was stuff like this that had made her nearly be akumatised. He was so stupid, and oblivious. Ugh, if he wasn’t in class now he would-

Adrien realised he hadn’t written anything, and had ground his pencil tip into the paper. He forced himself to relax. He needed to be careful about what he was writing. Lila was a tricky person, and she could easily twist his words even written down.

He scrunched up the page and kicked it into his bag. Lila didn’t seem to know what to make of that.

He stared aimlessly around the class. He noticed that all Alya was doing was drawing in her book- Nino was taking lots of notes while not letting go of his girlfriend’s hand. Adrien briefly wondered what was wrong, but soon his mind drifted off to Marinette. He wondered what was happening in her class at the moment.

When the bell rang, it took a moment for Adrien to wake up. He quickly shoved everything into his bag, dodged Lila, and moved to his Science class. On his way though, he saw Marinette.

She was laughing with another girl, and she was so much like Ladybug that it took his breath away. As he watched though, she tripped. He nearly ran over there, despite them being on other sides of the sport’s court. As it was, he just ran to the metal bar, and gripped it to stop himself from trying to jump over it. The girl with her caught her and her bag, and slowly Adrien’s breathing began to relax.

He watched her go into a classroom, and forced himself to go to his.

-

It was in the last period of the day, when he was staring at his pitiful class notes and thinking of why Marinette didn’t really forgive him, when all of a sudden, it all made sense.

She did forgive him, for exactly what he apologised for.

‘For what I said about Lila. I shouldn’t have told you to just leave it’

But that wasn’t what she wanted to be made right!

She wanted somebody to apologise for not standing up for her, for not standing up with her. She wanted him to apologise for not being there when she fell, for leaving her so alone she ran to a different class. Forgiving him for some bad advice was nothing, because the problem had felt like nothing.

Suddenly full with energy, Adrien started to plan.

-

After school, Adrien spoke with Chloe.

-

That weekend, Adrien visited the Grand Paris Hotel.

-

On Sunday, a group message was sent out.

**Could you all get to school early on Monday?**

-

Marinette stared at the message, as if she wasn’t already nervous about returning to see what Lila had done with her friends now she had to get there early?

Her fingers hovered over the reply bar, then she backed out of the chat before she could reply.

-

Despite that, she got to school early.

When she arrived, her whole class was there, excluding (she drew a nervous breath) Chloe and Adrien. Nervously, she hovered at the side of the cluster of people. At first she thought nobody had noticed her, but then Sabrina walked over.

“Hey Marinette,” She smiled. “Do you have any idea what this is about?”

Marinette shook her head. Her mouth felt too dry, because she’d just noticed how each classmate was pointedly not looking at her, unless she saw them out of the corner of her eye. Then they stared- well glared would be a more accurate, as they didn’t seem happy at her.

“What did Lila say?”

Sabrina shrugged, seeming upset to not be able to answer. “I don’t know, I’ve been out of school with a cold for a while.”

Marinette checked that the girl was okay now, but Marinette was distracted. Eventually Sabrina just told her to go up and ask her friends, if she was so worried about it.

“Hey Alya,” Marinette tapped the girl’s shoulder. “How have you been?”

Alya stiffened, then pointedly carried on talking to Nino. Marinette felt hurt, then she tried again.

“How has class been?”

Alya finally turned around. “Actually, it’s been fine. Since you left, Marinette, Lila finally felt brave enough to tell us what you’d been doing.”

Marinette wasn’t surprised.

“Yeah? Well, what have I been doing?”

Alya shook her head, and took a step closer to her. “Marinette, you know what. And it’s awful- honestly. I knew you didn’t like her, but going so far as to bully her?”

Now Marinette was surprised- not at Lila’s claims, but how sure Alya was that they were true.

“You really think that I’d bully someone?”

Alya scoffed. “You really think that you will be able to convince me otherwise? Marinette, who am I more likely to believe, someone who has clearly not liked Lila since day one, or someone who was so worried about you coming back that they couldn’t even do their work?”

Marinette should have asked to stay in the other class.

“I-“

She couldn’t get any words out.

“What’s wrong?” Sabrina walked up, and stood next to Marinette. Her voice was sweet and kind, but her eyes were narrowed with a warning. Marinette stared at her in surprise. Chloe was somebody who she definitely thought had changed, but Marinette had barely spoken to Sabrina yet she was clearly ready to defend her. Marinette’s heart filled with warmth.

Alya seemed to catch that. She hesitated. “Sabrina, you haven’t been here, but trust me. You don’t want to do that.”

Sabrina stayed quiet for a moment. “I think out of everybody here I could trust, it would be Marinette.”

Sabrina turned and smiled at Marinette. “Do you want to go and sit somewhere else?”

That’s when Adrien and Chloe walked in. Chloe immediately started speaking in her loud, attention grabbing way. Adrien looked awkward by her side. He glanced around the class, and when his eyes met Marinette’s he blushed before looking down. Marinette frowned. What was happening with him?

Her words to Chat came back to her. Seeing Adrien again had made those butterflies return in her stomach, but they weren’t the same as they used to be.

-

“We have some news to tell you all,” Chloe flicked her hair back. She grinned at Marinette. “Well, show you,” She pulled out her phone, and opened up a video. “Here it is! Proof that Lila, is little more than a liar!”

Marinette stared at the pair in shock. Chloe grinned at her, and held the phone up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave some constructive criticism!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We have some news to tell you all,” Chloe flicked her hair back. She grinned at Marinette. “Well, show you,” She pulled out her phone, and opened up a video. “Here it is! Proof that Lila, is little more than a liar!”
> 
> Marinette stared at the pair in shock. Chloe grinned at her, and held the phone up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Author pretends to not have forgotten to update for weeks*

“We have some news to tell you all,” Chloe flicked her hair back. She grinned at Marinette. “Well, show you,” She pulled out her phone, and opened up a video. “Here it is! Proof that Lila, is little more than a liar!”

Marinette stared at the pair in shock. Chloe grinned at her, and held the phone up.

“Jagged Stone, thankyou for coming to the Grand Paris Hotel!” Chloe’s voice came from the small device. The class gathered around, somehow finding places so that they could all see and hear. “We just have a quick question for you. Have you ever had a kitten?”

“A kitten? No way! Fang is the only animal I’ve ever had- and even if he wasn’t, why would I get a kitten?”

“Cats are cool,” The class noticed Adrien sitting in the camera too.

“Not as cool as crocodiles! Or polar bears. Or just bears. Lions are cool, but not kittens.”

“Our second question is- what was the name of the song you wrote about Lila?” Chloe flipped her hair.

Jagged Stone’s face was blank. “Who?”

“She saved your kitt- Uh, she saved the kitten you’ve never had?” Adrien corrected himself.

“Is this some sort of practical joke? Because that’s so not rock and roll.”

The camera changed, to Prince Ali’s face on an iPad screen. “I understand that you’re in a hurry, but thank-you for taking the time to talk to me!” Chloe smiled, then seemed to remember someone. “Adrien too, but his father wanted him to come home.”

The Prince seemed confused, so Chloe pushed on. “Very quickly, I wanted to ask what you thought of Lila? You met her, of course. She spoke to you and your parents about climate change, and you took her in a ride in your private jet-“

“Lila? I don’t know any Lila. Is this some kind of joke?”

“Joke? Me? No!” Chloe gasped, then thanked him for his time. The scene changed again.

By now, Lila was looking nervous. The class kept shooting her glances, and there were murmurs fluttering around. Immediately, she tried to think of a way to save this- Jagged was so nervous that his kitten could get hurt again he doesn’t speak of it, the Prince hit his head and had memory loss-

“Chloe! You’ll never guess who I ran into!”

The screen was black now, and there was just a voice that sounded like it was from a call. Adrien’s voice, saying: “Chat Noir!”

Adrien really hoped nobody would figure out his identity out.

“I’ve asked him to go and talk to you. He agreed!”

“Chat Noir? Couldn’t you have asked Ladybug?”

There was a pause. “Uh, no? Because I only saw Chat?”

The picture reappeared, to Chat sitting down on a sofa. “So Chat Noir- what can you tell me about Lila?”

“Lila…” Chat tapped his chin. “The girl who got akumatised into Volpina?”

Chloe paused. “Well, more memorably Ladybug’s best friend?”

“Ladybug and I are best friends, as well as I guess the other heroes. But she doesn’t really have a civilan best friend as a superhero, though perhaps she does when she’s a civilian… But my point is, Ladybug, the hero, is not this Lila’s best friend.”

Marinette smiled to herself. He considered them best friends. She couldn’t help herself but blush.

Chloe smiled, then hesitated. She leaned forward. “What did you think of the new Fox Hero, Chat?”

Marinette’s eyes widened. What was Chloe doing?

Chat seemed surprised. “I- Uh- She seems nice, I- I guess. I- think I need to go, now, Chloe. Thanks for the interview.”

Real-Chloe bit her lip. She knew she shouldn’t have asked, but she really wanted to know and it seemed like such a perfect time in the moment.

“No- wait!” Video-Chloe made a face. “Is there a chance that Ladybug might not have told you that they’re friends? Perhaps to protect Lila?”

Chat shook his head. “I’ve seen them together. They are definitely not friends- they don’t get along very well. If anything, I would have said Lila didn’t like Ladybug, but I can’t make assumptions. All I can say is that they are absolutely not best friends.”

Adrien remembered the way Marinette had reacted to Lila on countless occasions, he cringed at the thought of her and Lila acting like best friends.

Chloe nodded. “Is there any way that we could get Ladybug on, in order to ask her?”

Chat shrugged. “If you can find her, then I’ll put in a good word. But it’s up to her, I’m afraid. However, take my word for it, they cannot be really good friends. I know Ladybug, and she is not friends with Lila.”

The video ended.

Lila gritted her teeth. _This is such an inconvenience!_

Actually, yes. Just an inconvenience… It’s hard, but she could work with this.

“Ugh, you buffoons!” Start talking first. Don’t let them get their thoughts together. The usual tricks. “Thinking poking around was a good idea!”

The class looked at each other nervously.

Lila continued, using her words to twist the blame. “Of course Chat thinks we aren’t friends! That’s all part of the plan! If Ladybug’s partner thinks we don’t get along then nobody is going to suspect a thing! But I thought that this class was a group of friends I could trust to say that we were besties. But now that it’s out, everyone is going to figure it out, even my identity!” Lila morphed her face into one of horror.

“Identity?” Alya asked. Her eyes narrowed.

Lila pretended to deliberate, then come to a decision. “I can trust you all, right?”

Chloe interrupted. “We can’t trust you, Lila! You’re… You’re lying about everything!”

“I was lying to protect the fact that I am the new Fox Heroine!”

Silence.

“You?” Alya said, in disbelief.

Adrien looked horrified. This was not how things were supposed to go.

Chloe looked sick. She was fidgeting, trying to hold herself back. This was not how it was supposed to happen.

Marinette looked angry. “That’s a lie too.”

The class looked at her, not sure who or what to believe.

“Oh, is it Marinette? Prove it.”

Marinette hesitated.

“See, you can’t, because it’s true.”

Marinette glared at Lila. “This is my first day back in this class, Lila. I don’t know what lies you’ve been spreading about me, and I don’t care. You know why?” She didn’t wait for an answer, just ploughed on. “Because I know I’m right. I don’t care if they don’t believe me- they’ve had plenty of proof by now. If they don’t believe me now, then it’s not because I haven’t shown enough proof, or not made my point well enough. It’s because they don’t want to… it’s because they don’t want to trust me, and they want to trust you. And that’s fine- well- I mean-” For the first time in that dramatic speech she stuttered slightly.

“It’s not fine.”

The class turned in shock to Adrien, who was staring at Marinette. “It’s not fine,” He repeated.

Chloe glanced at him and nodded. “Adrien’s right. It’s not fine that after everything that you have done for this class, the moment someone new comes, you get abandoned.”

“But Marinette was the one bullying Lila!” Alya said suddenly. There were tears in her eyes.“That has to be the truth! Lila can’t be the person that’s wrong! Because that would mean- that would mean I abandoned- I abandoned my best friend.”

“I think we all abandoned her, in some way,” Nino admitted.

“But I’m meant to be her bestie! I’m meant to be the person she can trust above everything!” Alya seemed so desperate.

“Wait- you guys don’t believe her right?” Lila gasped. “You don’t believe Marinette over me?”

“Well, explain everything in the video then, Lila. You being the fox hero doesn’t explain those lies- and if you’ve lied about all that, then why is this different?” Adrien said.

Lila gritted her teeth.

Chloe nodded. “Marinette has a point. If you believe Lila instead of her- instead of us- then you aren’t believing her because it’s more reasonable. You are believing her because you would rather believe in Lila. This doesn’t have anything to do with who is more trustworthy- it’s who you like more.” The blonde blushed slightly. She glanced down at her outfit, and ran her hands over the skirt. “I know that I like Marinette more than… Well, definitely more than Lila.”

Chloe turned to Sabrina. “I promise I haven’t- replaced you or somthing dumb like that-”

Sabrina interrupted. “I know Chloe! Well, Old Chloe I wouldn’t have known, but I know that you wouldn’t do that. I don’t know what’s changed, but it must be something. Still, I’ll stand by you, and I’ll stand by Marinette.” The girl smiled quietly at the pig-tailed teenager. “Because I trust you both.”

Marinette blushed.

It took a few clenched fists and two deep breathes for Lila to compose herself. She was not about to lose.

“Believe whatever you want, but I wasn’t the coward who changed classes because I couldn’t face my problems square on and fairly.”

Everyone looked at Marinette. Adrien was shocked hearing Lila call Marinette, his Ladybug, weak. He felt his face burn. He couldn’t stop himself fast enough from shouting at Lila, but Marinette did. Marinette spoke first. He was surprised how calm her voice was.

“Lila, I’m sorry.”

And the silence returned. Marinette’s eyes looked so sincere. Almost everyone was too shocked to speak. Almost…

“Finally, you admit defeat! Wow, you really are a coward. I thought you’d keep that act up a little while longer.” Lila couldn’t help but smile as she said that. What a relief- victory tasted so sweet-

“No, Lila. I’m not saying I’m sorry for trying to prove you wrong. I’m saying sorry because I truly feel sorry for you.”

Marinette was tired of being pitied, even though it may be true that her old friends had left her for ever, no matter how hard she finds it to believe, she has her new friends. New friends who have stayed with her through this mess and who have believed her for who she is.

“I don’t have to hide behind a facade, an illusion, for people to like me. I don’t have to hide myself behind that mask. And for that, I feel very fortunate. Though the people who I love have left me, and it makes me sad, it doesn’t make me a coward for letting them go, because I’ve accepted it and I believe it takes a great deal of courage to face that pain!”

Marinette was standing tall, she had a spark in her. Similar to the one she had when she faces akumatized villains as Ladybug, only different. This time it was Marinette’s spark. Hers and hers alone. Without the mask.

If Adrien couldn’t believe Marinette was Ladybug before, now he is definitely sure she is.

“She’s lying again!” _What is Dupain-Cheng doing!?_

“You’re still hiding behind your mask.“

“I still have your friends. You really think you’ve won?” Lila was burning up, she will not lose. Not again!

“It’s you who’s the coward Lila. You’re still hiding. Call me whatever you want. Take whatever and whoever I love, but I won’t give in to you. I’ll just keep getting back up again.”

“You can’t possibly do it alone!”

“She’s not alone,” Marinette was calmer now. She didn’t feel like crying. All the same, Adrien spoke. “Because she has me. And I’m sorry it took me so long to bring this up.”

“You knew?” Nino stared at Adrien. “And you didn’t tell us?”

Adrien stopped. It hadn’t even crossed his mind that the people Lila lied to would want to know. But Marinette had.

_“As long as you and I both know the truth, does it really matter?”_

_Marinette opened her mouth, and paused._

_“Yes!”_

He took a breath. Guilt hit him, like a rising wave.

“I- Yeah. I did. I’m so sorry Nino- everyone. I saw that Marinette confronting her did nothing, so I thought-”

“Thought you wouldn’t put yourself through the embarrassment?” Marinette said. She looked at the boy she used to like. Disappointment from the fact that she used to love this boy- one who fled from challenges- was definitely an emotion she had right now. 

Chat Noir never ran from a challenge. He met it head on- sometimes literally head on.

Adrien watched the girl he loved look at the ground.

“No!” He said a bit too loudly. He instinctively moved forward, and held her hands in his. Their eyes met, and for a moment Adrien couldn’t talk because she was so pretty and where had his thoughts gone he couldn’t think straight-

“I… I made a mistake. I thought that if confronting her didn’t work, it wouldn’t help to keep doing it. I thought that maybe she’d realise she didn’t need to lie, or come to her senses. I… I was stupid to tell you to leave it, because it was clearly having an impact on you.” For the moment, there was nobody here but him and Marinette. “I’m sorry Marinette. I made a mistake. I hope I can make it up to you. I did this in hopes that maybe you can forgive me- but I understand if you don’t. But I want to make it up to you.”

_And I thought I was over him._ Marinette mentally sighed. This was so confusing.

Adrien let go of her hands, his cheeks glowing faintly pink.

That’s when the bell rang.

Marinette and the rest of the class looked around in surprise. They’d been so invested in the conversation that they hadn’t noticed the time passing.

The day seemed to go quickly from there.

At first, nobody spoke to Marinette, but didn’t chat to Lila either. Then, when the bell rang to change classes, Juleka walked alongside her. They didn’t talk, but when they reached the next classroom Juleka blushed, quietly murmured sorry, and hurried to her seat.

About halfway through that class, there was an akuma. Of course there was. Hawkmoth couldn’t let some teenage drama go on without turning someone into a literal supervillain. And for the second time in just over a week, Marinette noticed the butterfly before it was able to get a hold of something.

“Lila, look out!”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class watched in horror as Lila reached out to snatch the akuma from the air- and in even more horror as Marinette tackled the girl to the ground, and in a final burst of horror that was like the cherry of horror on the cake of horror, they saw the butterfly hit Marinette’s pigtail ribbon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a heads up, even though this is the last part, there might be one or two threads that you want to see continued. If this is true and you aren't sick of my writing by now, then let us know and we might write an epilogue. But for now, this is the final chapter.

“Lila, look out!” Marinette called, glancing at the purple bug as it phased through the window. She ran up the classroom. Lila glared at her as she approached.

“Get away from me! If I can get powers from Hawkmoth again, then I can make you all believe me!”

The class watched in horror as Lila reached out to snatch the akuma from the air- and in even more horror as Marinette tackled the girl to the ground, and in a final burst of horror that was like the cherry of horror on the cake of horror, they saw the butterfly hit Marinette’s pigtail ribbon.

“Marinette!” Adrien shouted, and later he’d admit to himself that he wasn’t worried because he didn’t know how they’d save the day without Ladybug. He was worried because this was Marinette, the cute girl in his class that he’s realised is his love, feeling the force of Hawkmoth. “Fight him Marinette!”

And Marinette did.

**Reality, I am Hawkmoth. Someone twisted the truth to make reality what they wanted, and ruined yours. But I can give you the power to make reality whatever you want to be-all I ask for in return is a small change in my reality.**

“You want Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous’.”

**Yes, very good Reality. I can see you will be a great Warrior.**

Marinette smiled slightly.

“Why on earth would I want to be a Warrior around you, when I can be a hero around those who really matter?”

There was a pause.

**Only I can give you the power to become a hero, if that’s what you want Reality.**

“My name isn’t Reality.” Marinette stood up, the butterfly mask glowing slightly, turning her cheeks purple. “My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and what was it they called me? Their everyday Ladybug? Well, I’d rather be that than whatever you promise me, Hawkmoth.”

The butterfly leapt from her hair elastic, and Marinette looked around at the class. They were surrounding her, except for the teacher who appeared to have fled to the other classes, definitely to warn them of an Akuma Attack and nothing to do with fear.

“Are you okay Marinette?” Rose asked.

“I- uh- yeah, actually. A bit dizzy, but I’m always klutzy so you probably won’t be able to tell the difference,” She laughed awkwardly.

It took her by surprise when Rose wrapped her arms around her.

“We love your klutzy,” she mumbled.

Juleka joined the hug. “We love you Marinette,” she added in her hushed, slightly awkward way.

Then Mylène joined in, then Adrien (Adrien!) and Ivan, and soon the class was in a big, soft group hug as they spoke their apologies. Well, the entire class except for two. Unfortunately, they only realised that one was missing when they heard her say:

“Yes Hawkmoth.”

Alya stopped standing in front of them. Now it was a girl in a simple white, skin-tight suit. Her right arm had a white glove with purple-blue coloured swirls. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and even her lips were white. A white mask covered her face, but you would have to be an idiot to not know it was Alya.

Unfortunately, the class was full of idiots, so they only figured it out when she said- “My name is no longer Alya! I am Reality, and I will make this Reality one where I did not let down my friend!”

The glove glowed purple, and a beam of light burst from her fingertips towards Marinette. She squeaked, but it hit Ivan instead. He froze, and stood up straight. All his clothes turned white, and his eyes turned purple. He ran over to Reality, and hugged her. “Don’t worry Reality! You didn’t let me down!”

Reality clenched her fist, and tried to push him off. She was a lot smaller than him though, so she couldn’t get out of the hug. Snarling, the glove glowed again, and her fingertips pressed into his chest. He leaped back, stiffly, as though he had too.

Reality tried again to hit Marinette, but the class was able to scramble out of the way in the time that Alya was struggling with Ivan, and so she had to let the colours on her arm fade back down.

Marinette slammed into the door, forcing it open. She held it open for the class, but as Adrien was the first out he grabbed her hand.

“She’s after you Marinette! You need to hide!” He pulled her along, until they were out of sight. Then he turned to go somewhere to hide to transform.

“Adrien wait!” He froze, and turned back. Marinette walked up to his side. “I can’t let you stay by yourself. We need to stick together.”

Adrien sighed. This wasn’t fair on Marinette.

“No, you need to stay and transform.”

Marinette started, and Adrien smiled quietly at her. “I’ll explain everything. But I know you’re Ladybug. Good luck fighting Reality- I’ll see you soon.”

And he ran.

-

“Tikki!” Marinette wailed.

The kwami flew up. “I don’t know Marinette! But you need to worry about Reality at the moment.”

“Yeah, I know, but… Yeah, okay. Spots on.”

Reality was easy enough to defeat. The akuma was clearly in her glove, so it just took a lucky charm of a bouncy ball, so that when her yoyo had the ungloved hand held behind her, Reality was forced to catch it in the gloved one. Chat then leaped forward with a ‘Cataclysm!’ bursting from his mouth, and Reality panicked and dropped the ball. This means that his hand hit the glove straight on. It crumbled beneath his touch, and Ladybug caught the butterfly and set it free. Somehow, during the fight, they’d ended up on the roof of the school.

Chat’s ring beeped. He glanced at it, then at Ladybug. “Can I meet you at the Eiffel Tower?”

“I need to talk to you about something too.” Ladybug nodded, thinking of Adrien.

“Pound it!”

Ladybug watched him run, then bent down and picked the glove up off the ground. It wasn’t a glove any more though. Now it was a piece of paper, with pencil writing covering it. Ladybug looked at it for a moment, trying to decipher the messy writing.

  * She wouldn't have told me
  * I haven't spoken to her for a week (things could have changed)
  * She would make a great hero

The last part was written much more clearly.

Ladybug didn’t understand what the words meant, but she sighed. She bent over and gave the piece of paper to the girl who wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“Hey Alya. You alright?”

Alya didn’t take the paper.

Ladybug’s earrings beeped again, but she sat down next to Alya.

“Why didn’t you give me the fox miraculous?” Alya asked so quietly Ladybug barely heard her. The reporter took the piece of paper, and turned it over. There was more writing on the back. Ladybug quickly figured out what this was. It was scribbles of why she wasn’t given the fox miraculous. Things like ‘my identity is at risk’ and 'I put something on the Ladyblog she didn’t like’ were among the more clear words, but there were some long scribbles that even Marinette couldn’t decipher.

Ladybug glanced away. “I’m sorry,” She began, but didn’t know where to carry on from there. “I know it meant a lot to you.”

“Yeah,” Alya whispered. “It did.”

Ladybug’s earrings beeped again, more insistently.

“Alya, people… People change. And I don’t think that you will never be able to be a hero again, but you need to prove to me that can be trusted with something as powerful as a Miraculous.”

Ladybug looked at Alya, but she still wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I gave the fox miraculous to someone who changed, because I felt they deserved the chance. I’m willing to give you a chance. But not until you show me you deserve it.”

Alya still didn’t look at Ladybug. The red hero stood up, and walked to the edge of the building.

“Ladybug!” Ladybug turned around, and saw Alya’s eyes. They were red, but dry.

“I’ll prove to you that I’m a good person. But not because I want a Miraculous- because it’s the right thing to do. You can believe in me.”

Ladybug smiled. “I’m glad-”

“Also, I think I know who Joli Renard is.”

Ladybug froze. What? Either she somehow knew it was Chloe, which would be bad, or… or she still believed Lila’s lies.

“I think she’s a great hero. Better than me. I won’t tell her I know, if you don’t want me to.”

Ladybug couldn’t speak, couldn’t move.

“It’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng, isn’t it?” _Okay, what?_

“She’s a great choice.” Alya's voice sounded guilty.

Ladybug needed to correct her, but the final spot on her earrings was flashing, so she had to leap off the edge of the building. She barely had time to duck behind a car before her suit dissolved into pink glitter.

She held Tikki in her hands, and sighed. “This has been a confusing day Tikki.”

-

When Ladybug met Chat Noir at the Eiffel Tower, she’d planned what she was going to say. She hadn’t expected him to grab her hand and pick her up like a bride. She really had not expected him to pole vault her onto the roof of a building. She really, really, had not expected said roof to be decorated with fairy lights.

Suddenly forgetting what she was about to say, she looked around in awe. “This is amazing Chat.”

Chat didn’t respond, so she turned around to him. Did he look nervous?

“Ladybug, I need to tell you something,” Chat began, his hands nervously clenching and unclenching.

“I need to talk to you first,” Ladybug walked forward. She hadn’t had a chance to talk to Adrien- after the akuma attack nobody was paying attention, so school ended up being broken up. It also seemed like Adrien was avoiding her, but she didn’t let her thoughts dwell on that. “Chat, somebody figured out my identity.”

She watched his face for a reaction, but all she got was one she couldn’t read. “Chat, this could be dangerous. We don’t even know each other’s identities. It’s not that I don’t trust him- the person who knows- but-”

“I know your identity,” Chat spat out. Then, as though as an afterthought, he added: “Too.”

Ladybug stared at him.

“When you told me the boy who you loved I figured it out.” Chat seemed nervous by her silence.

“That long ago?” Ladybug almost spoke to herself.

“I didn’t know what to do. I- We can pretend that I don’t know, but I didn’t think it was fair to lie to you.” _Not after all you’ve been through with lying._ He added mentally.

“I shouldn’t have told you.” She murmured, still clearly stuck on the fact that it was because of Adrien Agreste that Chat knew.

“My Lady-” Chat tried, but his words didn’t seem to go through.

“What do we do now?” Ladybug was almost talking to herself. Because Chat Noir, cheesy, flirty, headstrong Chat Noir knew her identity. She could barely cope when kind, sweet, beautiful Adrien knew, but now both of them?

“I could show you my identity? If you think that’s safe.”

“Two people know my identity. I thought I’d kept it safe and two people know. What if everyone knows? What if everyone knew all along? Maybe all of Paris was just humouring me. Maybe-”

_Nope,_ Chat decided. He could not bear to see Ladybug like this.

“Calm down,” he said. He gripped her hands, softly. “Because only one person knows.”

“No! Adrien Agreste figured out who I am!” Ladybug told him.

“And so did I. But that’s not two people, because-” Chat Noir took a deep breath. “Claws in.”

-

His suit faded away into green light. A black kwami flew out of his ring and yawned. Then Adrien Agreste stood in front of her.

Ladybug tool a step back. “No- no no no- Nope. No. Nope nope nope-”

“Cat got your tongue?” Adrien smiled nervously.

-

Ladybug snapped her mouth shut. She looked at him suspiciously.

Then she started to try and put a timeline together. She cried to Chat about Lila, Chat comforted her. She told Chat that she loved Adrien. Chat/Adrien (Chatdrien?) figured out who she was. Adrien helped show the class Lila was lying.

“I can’t believe you,” she glared at Adrien. He seemed surprised. “You- You awful person!”

Adrien took a step back. Ladybug continued. “You only helped me because I was Ladybug! You didn’t care if Marinette was hurt, but the moment you realise my identity you decide to help me!”

“That’s-” Adrien began. But she was right.

Plagg hovered between them, watching the fight.

“You go all; _I helped you Marinette! I’m so sorry Marinette!_ But in reality all you were thinking is Ladybug!”

“That’s-” True? He considered.

“Well, here’s news for you Kitty. I am not Ladybug, oh and also on the side Marinette. Marinette is me! Ladybug is the face I put up for Paris! Ladybug is a mask!” She stepped forward. Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not interested in anyone who cares about that mask more than me. There is no way you can say you love me, but only try to help me when you realise that I’m Ladybug. You don’t know me. And if you don’t know me, then you can’t love me.”

She spun on her heel, and unwrapped her Yoyo from her waist.

“Are you saying everything that Ladybug is is a mask?” Adrien said, his green eyes watching her.

Ladybug twirled back around. “I-”

“Even the fact that you care about people? Are you saying Marinette doesn’t care?”

“Well… no.” Ladybug admitted.

“Are you saying Marinette is a coward who runs from danger?”

“Yes!” Ladybug said. “Marinette hid in her room during Stoneheart’s attack!”

“But people change Marinette.” Adrien said, looking up and meeting her eyes. “Marinette held the door open for her friends during an akuma attack. Marinette ran from reporters with me. Marinette designed clothes for Kitty Section. Marinette… Marinette is an amazing girl. But I was so busy with my love for Ladybug that I didn’t even consider the idea that I was in love with you.”

“But you tried dating Kagami. Clearly you were considering other girls.” Ladybug said, picturing the fencing girl.

Plagg started laughing. Ladybug glared at him.

“The kid thought he didn’t have a chance with Ladybug, and tried spending time with Kagami. Pretty quickly realised that she was not the one for him- he was too distracted with you!”

Ladybug blushed. All of this time… all the worry about there being another girl… and that girl was herself.

Adrien walked forward. “Please, Ladybug. Marinette. I know you feel like I don’t love the real you, but that’s not true. I love every side of you. Maybe it took fighting supervillains side by side, but I did get to know you. Please just give me a chance.”

Give me a chance.

It took him realising that she Ladybug, but he did help her. Maybe seeing her so upset by Lila was what it took, but she knew she could trust Chat Noir. Maybe it made sense that in the end, it was Chat Noir who helped her through.

“Spots off,” she whispered.

Tikki floated by Plagg. He opened his mouth, but she shushed him.

“Let’s make this clear. Just because I forgive you, doesn’t mean we’re a couple.” She said.

Adrien grinned. “Not even one date?”

Marinette turned pink. “ Are you asking me out?”

Adrien turned pink too. “I- I think I did? Y- You can say no-”

“No! I mean yes! I mean, yes I’ll go on a yate with gou. Date with you!”

Adrien wrapped her in a hug. Marinette blinked. Then closed her eyes.

“Just to be clear, that’s Marinette and Adrien dating?” Marinette mumbled, not leaving the hug or opening her eyes. “Not Ladybug and Chat?” Adrien grinned in response.

“I’ll have to sneak out as Chat, but yes. Marinette and Adrien. If that’s what you want?”

“That sounds amazing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankyou all for sticking with this story, and as always any constructive criticism is appreciated!


End file.
